Wrist splint



July 2 1940.

W. J; JONES WRIST SPLINT' Filed April 25, 1938 Wa Zfer Manes.

A EYs Patented July 2, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT @FHQE.

1 Claim.

This invention relates to wrist splints such as are used in surgery and it has for an object to provide a wrist splint that is quickly and easily applied and readily removed; that supports the wrist joint and leaves the fingers free for movement, and that deflects the palm of the hand to extend the fingers forward in a natural position. Another object of the invention is to provide a wrist splint which does not interfere with X- raying the wrist when the splint is in position.

Other objects of the invention will be more readily understood from the following specifica= tion and from the accompanying drawing forming part thereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a back view of the forearm and hand with the wrist splint in place;

Figure 2 is a front view of the forearm and hand with the wrist splint in place;

Figure 3 is a side view, corresponding to Figures l and 2; and

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4, of Figure 2.

This invention is a splint for rigidly securing an injured wrist joint where the ulna and radius bones unite with the bones of the hand,- and com-- 5 prises a sleeve or socket which is laced around the forearm and which is open at the lower end to embrace the palm of the hand. It is held in place by a strap for uniting the open side of the socket and which passes under the thumb and is secured so by a buckle at theback.

The device is made rigid by a rigid reinforcing member extending'longitudinally of the socket and having its lower end curved to correspond with the palm of the hand, A pocket is provided 35 in the socket for securing this member in place.

An important feature of the invention is that it can be quickly applied to an injured limb and the limb may be X-rayed without removing the splint. The socket is preferably made of leather 40 and the splintmay be made of sheet aluminum which is substantially transparent to X-rays, or it may be made of stiff vulcanized fiber.

In the drawing, the numeral H is the socket which is laced at I2 around the forearm, a flap 13 'ure 3.

Thisenables the lower end of the splint to firmly grip the palm of the hand below the wrist joint 10 where the lacing secures the socket to the forearm and the strap i 6 holds the splint in position.

.A pocket is provided at 21 extending for the length of the socket. In this pocket, rigid memer 2% is located, of aluminum, fiber or other suit- 15 able material, and this member is curved at 22 to conform to the palm of the hand and to force the palm of the hand backwards relative to the socket so that the fingers normally rest in the forward or cook up position, indicated in Figure 3. 20

In this construction the wrist joint is securely held against movement while the fingers are free, whereby the user is able to use his hand for light work and freely exercise his fingers.

The lacing and the strap attachment are ad- 25 justable so that swellings can be conipensated'for and the device can, within. a limited range, be applied to different sizes of hands.

What is claimed is: I

A wrist splint comprising a sleeve adapted to be laced on the forearm and having the lower end embracing the palm of the hand and having an opening for the fingers and an opening for the thumb, a palm strap'adapted to be passed between thevthumb and the forefinger for adjusting the tension of said splint about the palm independently of the laced portion, and a rigid plate secured to said sleeve, said plate being curved to conform to the curve of the palm of the hand, wrist and lower portion of the forearm, whereby the palm of the hand may be held back from the longitudinal line of the socket and in rigid relationship to the wrist and forearm.

WALTER 'J. JONES. 

